Course DescriptionsHandgun  Rifle  SpecialtyLevel 2 armor is provided to each student when appropriate during the courses

Handgun CoursesAlthough often considered by some not to be the best choice of weapons for personal defense, handguns may in fact be the best choice at the time of a confrontation or the only weapon available. To that end one should know how to defend one's self effectively with a handgun. All handgun courses include the base skills of safe handling, admin and action loading, malfunctions, drawing, tactics and flashlight use. Also covered will be shooting with movement and manipulation skills development. Many courses are declared as tactical; this is because the courses advocate using handguns to defend one's self as compared to a sporting application. Semi-automatics or revolvers are acceptable. Variations of the handgun courses include:

Defensive Concealed Carry - CC
Course addresses methods of and techniques for carrying a handgun concealed in warm or cold weather based on client requirements. All training and skills addressed in TH are covered in this course only from a concealed carry format. Nominal 800 rounds of ammunition.

Defensive Handgun - TH
Course addresses basic skills of safety, drawing, loading, malfunctions as well as some advanced skills i.e. distance firing, injury drills, ground fighting, shooting and moving as well as other issues for defensive use of handgun. Nominal 800 rounds of ammunition.

Defensive Revolver - R
Although considered archaic by some the "wheel" gun is far from being stricken from the list of effective defensive tools by the educated. In the hands of knowledgeable persons the revolver is more than an equal of any other defensive handgun. This course addresses the techniques and idiosyncrasies of the revolving handgun for personal defense. Nominal 700 rounds of ammunition.

Handgun Course Equipment:
Clients should have eye (for day and dark) and ear protection. A good holster, belt and magazine carrier, which is properly threaded thru belt loops on your trousers or pants. Knee and elbow protection are a good idea. Two flashlights and spare batteries. A spare handgun is a good idea but not mandatory. Six to eight speed loaders or magazines. A hat, neck scarf and sun screen. A small bag to carry all your stuff in is handy. Clothing for seasonal weather at 5000 to 6000 foot elevation.

Rifle Coursesback to top
Rifles are the individually operated choice of weapons systems for personal defense. A rifle in the hands of a skilled owner can generate a person who can effectively control close or far personal defense environments. All rifle courses include the base skills of safe handling, admin and action loading, malfunction clearance, deployment, tactics, low and altered light application. As well the use of cover, concealment, shooting with movement and manipulation skills are covered.

Urban Rifle - UR
Created in 1983 this course is still the one most copied but not duplicated by other institutions. Urban rifle is the cornerstone of the personal defensive doctrine of this school and has been since the schools inception. Very simply this is the way to defend yourself… and this course the way to defend your self with a rifle. Nominal 800 rounds of ammunition. Generally for magazine fed iron sighted rifles but other rifle types accepted. Low powered or dot type optics permitted but it is recommended that backup iron sights be available somewhere on the rifle.

Urban Precision Rifle - UPR
This new format is a fusion of the two time tested TR doctrines of Precision Rifle and Urban Rifle. In this new format the surgical application of the scoped rifle to urban and compressed environments is addressed. Most documented precision rifle shots are in fact applied at shorter ranges in compressed times and at what are often complex targets. Safety, use of cover /concealment, engagement of moving targets, hostage type targets, firing from elevated platforms as well as other appropriate subjects will be addressed in the course. Altered firing positions applied under duress will be addressed by scenarios in Terminator 3 and Thunderville.Ammunition requirements are nominal 500 rounds. Eye & ear protection mandatory, knee and elbow protection helpful.Equipment: Scoped rifle with shooting sling and bipod.

Mid-Range Rifle Course
This class takes the student from the end of the muzzle to seven hundred yards in field conditions. The course uses some paper for documentation of zeroing for the scoped rifle but is mostly fired at modest sized steel targets comparable to the size of targets offered to the rifle shooter in hunting and field conditions. Strong emphasis is placed on position shooting, and use of slings and bipods to reproduce field conditions. Recommended calibers are .308, .30-06 types...strongly preferring students to NOT use magnums due to the number of rounds to be fired. Good scopes mounted to a strong action are advisable. The shoot and spot team concept will be used often to mark hits on the steel targets. No Magnums or Zip guns please.
A nominal 400 rounds of regular match or hunting ammo. No steel core or tracer ammo please.

Rifle Equipment:1. A Working Bolt Gun with enough glass to match course ranges. No magnums. Backup rifle in same caliber if possible. 2.Rifle must have a sling and bi-pod. 3. Good scopes mounted to a strong action. You will be shooting out to 700 yards. Make sure you have the right mounts and glass to get out that far. 4. Spotting scope suggested but not mandatory. A shoot and spot team concept will be used often to mark hits on the steel targets. 5.A good simple cleaning kit and rod as you require.

The Old Rifle Course is formatted to address all rifles from single shot era i.e. Sharps to the modern era circa 1959 to include the M14/M1A platforms. This is a marksmanship course but as well a forum for student to learn and nurture defensive skills with rifles types that may seem to be archaic to the unknowing.

Paper and steel targets will be engaged from muzzle to 700 plus yards or bluntly as far as the student can continue to get repeat hits on the targets presented. Primary ranges are 0-300 yards or ranges that are considered to be danger close.
Additional drills will address movement and use of cover and concealment and tactical issues appropriate to the rifle being used…i.e. Black Powder rifle fire leaves a significant muzzle signature, loading the M1 Garand en bloc clip in prone as subtle examples. Modest over watch movement up and down, prone, kneeling some lateral and back and forth movement. It is not a run & gun be on fire course.

Notices:
It is important TO KNOW AND CONFIRM your ammunition type NO armor piercing /steel core or tracer ammunition is allowed in this course…it is dangerous and that is good and it’s supposed to be, but not in this format, it will create fires and ruin armored targets. Ball ammunition as an example .30-06 for a 1903A3 Springfield / M1 Garand are acceptable and lead bullets for Sharps rifles are all good.

The Advanced 1911 Diagnostic Course is a 2-day class that guides the student through the operation and functional details of the 1911 pistol as well as the steps to properly fit key reliability components to the gun. The first day is spent in the classroom studying the operating cycle of the 1911 pistol while identifying key functional aspects and learning the basics of how a properly set-up 1911 should be. Topics covered on day one will include:
• Complete disassembly of pistol
• Detail discussion of each part with explanation of proper fit and function
• Firing cycle of 1911
• Common parts breakages and what to look for
• Malfunction diagnosis
• Understanding basic extractor tuning and geometry
• Proper spring weights for various calibers and sizes
• Safety checks
• Firing pin safeties pros and cons
• Functional differences between Government Model / Commander Model / O-ACP
• Magazines – what works and why
• Reassembly of pistol
• Proper maintenance and lubrication
Building on the topics covered during the first day, the second day continues in the classroom with the students learning to replace/modify components of the gun that are often encountered as sub-par or with a higher than normal failure rate.
• Fit and tune extractor
• Fit and tune slide stop
• Fit/modify firing pin stop
• Checking for proper barrel fit and chamber dimensions
• Overall reliability inspection

Each student will be provided with the necessary parts and ammo and the second day will also include a test fire protocol to check for proper function.

In an effort to limit the variances found over the wide range of 1911 brands, makers, sizes, and configurations the course will require the student to bring an all steel 5” 1911 in 45ACP that uses the conventional Browning designed barrel/bushing configuration.

Long Range Scoped AR15 Course
2 Day
Thunder Ranch Oregon Classroom, Smith Home and TR long gun range...that is covered to protect us from the snow;)
$900
Ammo: 500 rounds REGULAR rifle ammo
(AKs are welcome)

This course will start at the Smith home at 5:30 pm Friday night Feb. 6th. (yes right after the 1911 course ends) We will be doing dinner and Clint's lecture that evening until 8:30- 9 pm.

Class will then start Sat. morning at 8:30 am on the long range deck. Will continue Sunday morning same time and class should be over by 4:30 pm.

This course will address shooting your ARs out to some of the mid range distances. Depending on your ammo and glass...we hope to get you out to at least 700 yards with some good hits.
Most will be in between 100 -300 in the "Danger close" area.
Course will cover position shooting, hitting moving targets, spotting curriculum, shooting with elevated heart rates (yes this includes the Heidi Drill) along with a combination of our mid range rifle and Urban rifle courses of fire.

Any of your ARs with red dots and magnifiers...any of your 1-4 mag scopes and this to include regular scopes. We suggest a good BI-Pod or Grip pod.

Ammo suggestion would be like a 70 or 77 grain TSX.

We will require you bring 500 rounds of regular ammo...frangible is NOT needed for this course.

More then likely we will have some COLD weather so remember...NO bad weather...only bad gear;)

If you sign up for the class Clint and I will call you personally to make sure you have everything you need and get you in touch with people that can help you with ammo and gear.

Please call the ranch the NEW TR Cell (for texting) and Office Phone Number 541-219-0649 or email us at clintsmith@thunderranchlive.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Home and Vehicle Defense with Trauma Block- HVD
HVD specifically addresses two of the places we spend a lot of time, at home and in vehicles. This course covers planning and implementation of defensive and offensive protection procedures for these environments. Initial blocks cover manipulation and shooting skills updates and review. It also includes blocks of classroom discussion about ballistic trauma and tactical medical care, with material presented by a tactical emergency medicine physician on gunshot wounds, emergency care under fire, and the selection and preparation of a trauma first aid kit.
Handgun format. Tutorials available for long gun applications. Nominal 800 rounds of ammunition.

Defensive Team Tactics - TT
This format is geared for the two-person format. This course is for either law enforcement officers or same family members to acquire skills in the use of tactics and firearms together to resolve confrontational environments. Strong emphasis is placed on safety and safe handling of firearms in close confines and restricted space environments. Topics include but are not limited to cover fire, movement and fire, and response to multiple threats. Handgun format. Nominal 800 rounds of ammunition per team member.

Equipment
Eye (for day and dark) and ear protection. Good holster and belt combination threaded thru belt loops on trousers or pants. Knee and elbow pads. Ammunition for all courses: *nominal - Webster's…approximate

Please call ahead if you would like a tour of the facility and visit the pro shop.
the NEW TR Cell (for texting) and Office Phone Number 541-219-0649 If we can swing it we will be more the happy to help.

All deposits / applications and any other correspondence needs to be mailed to:
Thunder Ranch®96747 Hwy 140 East  Lakeview, Oregon 97630
the NEW TR Cell (for texting) and Office Phone Number 541-219-0649Please Call Office For Reservations